New user with reloading questions on AR

[kaisers0ze]

I have been reading various threads and forums all over the web to try and get all the info I needed to do reloading on my AR. I wanted to try my luck on getting a response here first!

Barrel:
WOA 16'' SS 1:7 .223 Wylde

History
My father has been doing reloading for some time but not on ARs so I don't want to go 100% off his word. I only have about 200 factory loads through my gun and want to get something more accurate. I have been hunting since I was 8 and am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my shooting and accuracy.

I am looking for 2 things:
1) I would like to get a reliable hunting reload worked up for medium to small sized whitetail / hogs / coyotes sized game. Really want something that fits into the mag. high BC would be desired by not a must.
Bullets I looked at so far:
Sierra 65g game king (unavailable everywhere I looked)
Barnes 70g TSX
Speer 70g semi-spitzer
Hornady 75g A-MAX (only if I can find a way to get it to 2.25 COAL which doesn't seem likely. )

2) I would like to get a range match round with similar BC / Velocity that i can take to the ranges (but this is 2nd priority to #1)

My dilemma is from what I have read, I should stick with the heavier bullets 65g+ for my barrel (is this true?) if I want stellar accuracy. Most of these are match bullets not suited to hunting, or cannot be loaded into a magazine. I don't know if any of the 55 - 62g rounds will provide the accuracy I am looking for.

I am also a little curious what type of pressure variances I can play with on a .223 wylde vs standard .223 barrels. (should be a little closer to 5.56 pressure specs?)

Can the COAL on a round (such as A-max) be reduced by just reducing the powder and seating the bullet a little deeper?
~Question from my father

Does anyone have any feedback on using the moly coated bullets?

Any comments, suggestions, personal feedback, or advise would be GREATLY appreciated!


~Shane

 

[treebasher]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

All of these white tail deer were shot with this load:

Hornady 68 grain HPBT match bullet
Winchester case
Hodgon H322 - 21.9 grains
CCI Small Rifle primer - Standard
Seat bullet to magazine length

And this coyote at 670 yards:

(It took five shots to walk them in, but got him nonetheless...)

 

[FCS]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

Shane,

75 A-max isn't going to work well when loaded to an OAL of 2.260" as the ogive of the bullet is below case mouth.

7 twist barrel will shoot 52 SMKs into very small groups, don't get hung up on having to shoot the heavy bullets (though I am a fan of going as heavy as possible) just because you have a 7 twist barrel.

If you have a good quality, custom barrel I'd avoid moly'ed bullets. Moly'ed bullets require more powder to acheive same velocity, take a few more rounds down barrel after cleaning to season barrel, and cost more. Know there are guys having great performance from coated bullets but IMHO you gain very little going coated.

Most high BC bullets are geared for match shooting and not recommended for hunting. You may want to look at Berger 73gr Match BT and 77 Match BT as dual use bullet.
Barnes 70 TSX is a long bullet, seated to an OAL of 2.260 you'll be pretty limited on powder capacity. Animals you listed, I don't see them walking away from a well placed shot with 55 or 62 TSX.

Pressure.....find accuracy and stay away from hotrodding the load, you'll be happier all the way around.
http://ar15barrels.com/data/223-556.pdf
I've also seen "Wylde" chamber that has the more generous body dimensions yet shorter freebore, strongly suggest you measure to see where bullet used touches lands so you know how much freebore you are dealing with.

 

[kaisers0ze]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

All of these white tail deer were shot with this load:

Hornady 68 grain HPBT match bullet
Winchester case
Hodgon H322 - 21.9 grains
CCI Small Rifle primer - Standard
Seat bullet to magazine length

That is reassuring for terminal performance on those.
what twist do you have and what ranges were these taken at?
Did you have any issues with the bullet closing up and just punching a .224 size whole in any of them?

Is this what you call a walk in cooler - hunter style

 

[treebasher]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

These deer where taken during a game damage hunt up in North Eastern MT in 2009. Both of the AR's used have 1:9" twist rates and the ranges were between a few yards to about 250 yards.

As far as terminal performance the bullets did what they were supposed to do. Enter, expand and retain weight. Most of the time the bullet would exit the opposite side, which is my preference for a hunting bullet. Somewhere I have a bullet or two that we recovered. If I can find one I will try and post a picture.

 

[kaisers0ze]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

I got this from Barnes on the TSX

Bullet Weight: 70 gr Case Trim Length: 1.750" S.D. 0.199
Bullet Style: TSX BT Primer: WSR B.C. 0.314
COAL: 2.250" Barrel Length: 24"
Case: Winchester Twist Rate: 1:12"
Charge Velocity Charge Velocity Load
Powder (grains) (fps) (grains) (fps) Density (%)
 H4895 21.5 2623 23.5 2879 98
RL 15 22.5 2706 24.5 2915 102

I would be happy anywhere in the 2800+ fps area and their 62g was a little faster, but the TSX rounds are a little on the pricey side compared to some others.

I have shot the black hills 68g hpbt at the range and was happy with it.

I might just have to buy a box of several different kinds and work on loads.

I may look at the 60-63g rounds too pending some feedback from other people with a fast twist..

(i would kill for a 68-70g amax that fits in a mag...)

 

[FCS]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

24" barrel vs. 16" barrel, you'll be 2500 to 2550 (best case).

 

[kaisers0ze]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

thanks, didn't realize there was that big of a difference.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

I don't think Berger calls the .22 bullets hunting bullets but up to the 77 will load to mag length.

The 75 grain AMAX was designed to single load.

Your barrel should stabilize 52 grain SMKs and similar.

 

[Beef82]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

I've got a 16" 1-9 barrel, the 60gr Vmax over Varget forget what the charge is, shoots 1/2MOA to 300yds. I have yet to take anything with it, but I've read accounts of it doing a fantastic job on soft tissue on white tail, I wouldn't count on any .224 projectiles to break bones or exit in larger game so shot placement really counts. The 62grTSX doesn't seem to stabilize very well out of my rifle, but you've got a faster twist, might work better.
As I understand it the idea behind the Wylde chamber is to allow use of 5.56 loaded ammo.

 

[kaisers0ze]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

I am going to give the 60gr bullets a try.
got 3 different ones to try:
Honady Vmax
Nosler Partition
Nosler Balistic Tip Varmit

Ill start on some Black hills brass with 26.5gr varget and CCI 450 at 2.25 COL

I want to work up as close to 3000fps as i can and keep an eye on pressure.

ill post results

 

[treebasher]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kaisers0ze</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I am going to give the 60gr bullets a try.
got 3 different ones to try:
Honady Vmax
Nosler Partition
Nosler Balistic Tip Varmit

Ill start on some Black hills brass with 26.5gr varget and CCI 450 at 2.25 COL

I want to work up as close to 3000fps as i can and keep an eye on pressure.

ill post results</div></div>

Good luck with the Vmax and Balistic tips on white tail, you'll need it...

The Partition is a great bullet to take deer with. I would concentrate on it for your needs.

 

[Shakeber]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

Kaiser,
My RRA 1:8 ATH loves the Sierra 65 gr. Gamekings. They are currently available at Midway (I just bought several 100's), get them while you can.

 

[kaisers0ze]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

THANKS!, just got 5 boxes of them

the v-max and ballistic tip are not for whitetail, why i got the partitions, but thanks

 

[ddavis]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

I've seen a 55 V-max factory load take a whitetail. My buddy made a perfect lung shot at 120 yards. The buck walked off about 10 yards and stopped, so another shot was made and the buck dropped. Upon inspection the shots were about 2" apart, both right where they should be. The lungs were jelly, nothing left. Both bullets blew up and neither exited. This was on a 120 lb deer. For small Texas whitetails, they should work with good shot placement. If it was me, I'd be looking at the 70 gr. Speer RN bullets.

Regards,
-Dan

 

[treebasher]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kaisers0ze</div><div class="ubbcode-body">THANKS!, just got 5 boxes of them

the v-max and ballistic tip are not for whitetail, why i got the partitions, but thanks </div></div>

Good deal! You scared me there for a bit

I have seen some fantastic failures with varmint bullets on deer. Yes you can kill them with good shot placement but you can also easily wound if the shot isn't well placed.

You should still give the 68 HPBT load a try, you'll be surprised

 

[KLambert05]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

my dad and i both load 55 gr sierras. Couldn't tell you the powder loads on them, but that's our bullet. We kill pigs, deer, coyotes, all sorts of small game. 55 gr work very well for hunting because of their higher velocity, but they are not as good for paper as the heavier bullets because they move around more.

 

[Tactical30]

Re: New user with reloading questions on AR

Try the 60gr. Sierra HP with 24.0gr of Benchmark.
Very accurate. I think its a gameking bullet but not sure.

This is the only load i use when hunting with my AR.

The Hornady 55gr. V-MAX with Varget works well also.

Dont forget your Nosler Ballistic Tips.